The Fish Who Climbed a Tree

First published on Medium.

Fishes are meant to swim. They have fins, they have gills, they are born in water and they are meant to stay in water. Monkeys, on the other hand, are built to live on trees. They have arms, nostrils, tails and are perfectly capable to hoisting themselves from one branch to another.

Bill & Longtail Twins

Once, there lived a fish by the name of Bill. It had made friends with a few monkeys by the side of the lake it lived in. The monkeys, Longtail twins, always spoke about the bright sunlight on the treetops, the hills yonder and the breeze that played out at the very top. Bill told tales of the underwater corals, myriad colors and fascinating shrimps. The twins listened, but had little patience for something they could neither see nor imagine. Bill was an ambitious kind, and he longed to feel what a breeze is like, as he looked across to the hills and the trees.

An Ambitious Fish

Over a period of time, the twins suggested that Bill climb up to the treetop with them once. In return, they will visit his underwater home. Bill’s family was aghast at his plans, they explained how it made no sense for him to go out beyond the surface. They said he is not built for it. They said he’d die.

Bill was an ambitious kind, he believed he can hold his breath long enough. And if he doesn’t like it, can always flip back into the lake. A plan was made and the Longtail twins agreed to help him climb up a tree with them.

Out in the Air

The first step on the ground and Bill felt air closing in around him. He held his breath and monkeys started carrying him towards a nearby tree. He felt giddy, this air was not good for breathing at all, and his fins flapped a bit. Longtails didn’t notice and started climbing. Bill flapped, a bit harder this time- his scales were drying up and the sun was burning into him. Longtails hadn’t noticed. Bill passed out.

At what cost?

At the top, the monkey twins realized something was amiss and shook Bill back to consciousness. He coughed, eyes open and looked at the green hills, the bright burning sunlight, the steely wind and the gleaming lake below. It was beautiful, but not for a fish perhaps. He mumbled something about throwing him down into the water. Longtails took time to grasp what he’s saying, aloof to his life threatening struggle. When they finally heard him mumble “water..”, he was frantically thrown back, only to hit a branch and then a rock below. This is how Bill died.

Analogy

We’re all either fishes or monkeys. Our skill sets are the deciding factor- not where we come from, not our education. If you’re great with people, focus on and develop your competency. If you’re great with machines, build your skill and find a relevant occupation. All skills are important and very much required in this fantastic world.

However, we have a problem when we’re pushed into a course/job/experience where our core competencies don’t belong. It is difficult for a fish without lungs to survive on a tree for long. It is difficult for a monkey without gills to survive underwater for long. And the illusion of a ‘backup plan’ is what it is- an illusion. People who had earlier coaxed you into stepping out of this comfort zone, might not always be that supportive when things go wrong.

Know What You Are

Apart from the fact that we’re all rockstars and really awesome people, go beyond the obvious and attempt to understand where your passions lie. Validate them (since your romantic concept of coding might not be existent in a huge corporate office with glass walls). Intern with organizations to know how things really run. And choose what path to take. Fishes and Monkeys don’t worry about conventional and unconventional decisions. It is all about what you’re best suited for and what you love doing. If you love doing something, you can be really good at it.

love and peace